About William Bailey, Jr.

The tradition among the older members of the family is that he was a resident of London, and that his occupation was that of a weaver of silk ribbon.

His parentage, the place of his nativity, date of birth and death are alike unknown. His death, however, is known to have occurred some time previous to July 20, 1670.

He married Grace Parsons, daughter of Hugh and Elizabeth Parsons of Portsmouth, R. I. This would indicate that he probably came to this country while a young man and unmarried. After the death of her husband, Elizabeth married Thomas Lawton, and died some time subsequent to 1677.

Children include

John Bailey 1653 - 1736

Hugh Bailey 1663 - 1724

Stephen Bailey 1665 - 1724

Joseph Bailey 1666 - ABT 1730

Edward Bailey 1668 - 1712

Also have seen

John BAILEY b: 1657 in Little Compton, Newport, RI

Mercy BAILEY b: ABT 1661

Notes

Death date seen as 7/20/1676. However this seems unlikely if his widow married again in 1663 / Before 1671:

" -Oct. 18, 1671 Upon an Indictment by the Grand Jury against Grace Lawton the wife of Thomas Lawton formerly the wife of William Baily for comitting Adulterie with Thomas Lawton. The said Grace beinge Mandamassed (commanded), Enters Traverce pleads Not Guilty and Refers her selfe for Tryall to god and the cuntry. The Jurrys Verdict in Not Guilty. [RI General Court of Trials 1671-1704, Jane Fletcher Fiske, 1998, p. 10]"

July 20, 1670, Hugh Parsons declares, "that, having taken into my custody the estate of my grandchild, Hugh Bailey, left and given him by his deceased father, William Bailey, I covenant in the sum of œ100, that at my death and death of present wife, my aforesaid grandson shall be true and absolute owner of all my land I now possess, with buildings, etc."

Also April 15, 1672, "If said Hugh die before decease of wife or self, then above mentioned land shall return to my daughter Hannah or her next heir, and to daughter Hannah, to bring up grandson, is given a cow."

In the will of Hugh Parsons, which was dated January 11, 1684, and proved March 14, 1684, he gives to his grandson, Hugh Bailey, at decease of wife, his house and land, and a third of his stock of movables, but if Hugh Bailey die before he enjoy it, then to his heirs. Wife to bring up grandson, and he to be helpful to her. Hugh Parsons was deputy in 1678. He and his wife were both born about 1613. He died in 1684 as above indicated, his wife some time later.

"Careful here, it is easy to mistake this William Bailey with his son William, they were both married to women named Grace, the son to Grace Parsons. Both died in Newport, Rhode Island. The son is probably the one that bought land from Gabriel Hicks, but possibly not. The Stewart Bailey book by Walter C. Bailey, printed about 1927 by the Barnhart-Van Trum Company added more information, though the author was wrong about the Bailey's that came over on the "Bevis" in 1638 being our direct ancestors. Most information found on FTM, LDS, Ancestry.com and other places relied on Austin's "Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island" for early family information. This resulted in confusion on the first 2 William Bailey's that had both married women named Grace. The " Bailey Genealogy" complied by William Perry Johnson in 1967 from records in North Carolina as well as Rhode Island cleared up that problem and we now have what I think will prove to be the most accurate and complete Bailey study ever. Taken from the Family Tree online---recorded by Lester Odenwald"

Records of the Bailey Family: Decendants of William Bailey of Newport, R.I., Chiefly in the Line of His Son, Hugh Bailey of East Greenwich, R.I. (Google eBook) Standard Printing Company, 1895 - 206 pages. Page 4